Review: Rockstar Mayhem Festival

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. may be known for its natural springs or its historic racetrack, but it’s time to talk about the annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival that invaded the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) July 20, 2013. What a perfect day for an outdoor music festival.

With 15 bands, autograph stations, all the free Rockstar drinks you can handle and the other free stuff they give away, it’s definitely worth the price of admission to this one-time-a-year event.

This was my first time attending the Mayhem Festival and also my first time seeing some of these bands live, so I was kind of excited.

Kicking things off on the Musician’s Institute (MI) stage was Thrown Into Exile. They opened the show with great energy and front man, Evan, was really good on the mic, and set the tone for the rest of the show. After their set make sure to drop by the MI tent and meet the band. Some really cool dudes there.

Next up kicking things off on the Jagermeister stage was Huntress. Jill Janus is just awesome. Her facial expressions are just priceless. She’s a metal throwback for those of you who don’t like the current direction of this genre.

Back on the MI stage was Attika 7. Not part of the original Mayhem lineup replacing Behemoth, Attika 7 still kicked some @$$. Former front man of Biohazard, Evan Seinfeld, was pretty funny when he asked the crowed if they have ever seen them before. He said “bull$#!^, we have never been here,” when the crowd responded with cheers of yes. Believe me, it was funny.

Battlecross was up next on the Jager Stage. This was my second time seeing them perform, and they just keep getting better. Tons of energy and a great bunch of guys, so make sure you go and check them out at their merch tent after their set.

Motionless In White were performing next on the MI stage and had the younger crowd eating out of their hands. A fan dressed like MIW was holding a sign wanting to be brought on stage because it was his birthday, and Chris not only had him come up on stage for the second to last song, but he even gave him a mic and they sang the song together. After the song, Chris said “ask and you shall receive.” I thought that was some pretty cool $#!^!

Next up on the Jager stage was the Butcher Babies. Nothing like some hot @$$ rocking out! Tons of energy! Heidi and Carla had the crowd going nuts. This was my first time seeing BB, and I was not disappointed at all.

Born Of Osiris was next on the MI stage. I personally am not familiar with this band, but the crowd liked them and I thought they were good.

Job For A Cowboy is now up on the Jager stage. They brought a whole different attitude to this show. They did nothing but kick @$$. I thought Jonny Davy was going to jump of the stage and into the pit he was so hyped.

It’s time now for Emmure on the MI stage. Tons of energy and drive in their set. I don’t usually listen to them, but I enjoyed them live.

Closing things on the Jagermeister stage is Machine Head. Machine Head was really over with the crowd. I only like a few of their songs, but they put on a great live set.

Closing things on the Musician’s Institute stage was Children Of Bodem. They were over with the crowd as well. CoB is another band I don’t listen to that much, but I enjoyed their live set.

First up on the main stage is Amon Amarth. I just love their Viking ship stage prop that they had on stage. Amon was pretty damn good and should have had another 15 minutes added to their set time. Here’s a question I have, though: how the hell does Johan not spill one drop of liquid out of his Roordahuizum drinking horn?

Mastodon was next on the main stage. Now, I don’t know if the heat was finally getting to me or if I was having an energy drink crash but I wanted to fall asleep during their set. Don’t get me wrong, they are great musicians, I just didn’t feel their set at all. The black wig Brent Hinds was wearing was pretty funny though.

Five Finger Death Punch now takes the main stage, and they just bring it like no one else can. This was my third time seeing 5FDP, and the only thing I did not like was that their set was not long enough. Ivan and the boys are just so good live. The crowd was nuts for them. Ivan wasn’t as energetic as I’ve seen him before, but he still kicked @$$.

It’s now time for Rob Zombie to close the show out. This was my first time seeing Zombie live, and I must tell you that I cannot wait until I get to see him again. What a show Rob puts on. With all of the different props and costumes it’s a show within a show. John 5 has two of the most bad@$$ guitar’s I’ve ever seen. One was totally transparent with an anti-freeze looking liquid inside it and the other one was made up of a couple hundred white L.E.D lights. Rob even left the stage and ran a lap around the inside of amphitheater. This was a really good show all in all. F’in awesome job, Rockstar, I’ll see you next year!!!

Chad is a mobile/dance DJ by trade. He also has been in party planning and room design for corporate events. Chad's love for live concerts now has him trying his hand at music related journalism and concert photography. Chad finds it easy from being a DJ to attend shows out of his comfort zone and still enjoy the night.

This Was The End is a multimedia performance inspired by canonical Russian playwright Anton Chekov’s Uncle Vanya. In the play, Vanya asks, “What if I live to be 60?” This Was The End answers that question through a story told by four actors in their 60s. Director Mallory Catlett is in residence at EMPAC with sound designer G. Lucas Crane and video designer Keith Skretch to develop their theatrical production into a multimedia installation about memory and time.

Like the performance, the new installation features the architectural façade of the original Performance Space 122, an iconic NYC arts institution, to physically frame and contextualize Catlett’s adaptation. She and her collaborators will activate the historic façade with video and sound from their theatrical production, drawing viewers into the installation to investigate what came before, what is now, and what might be.

SCHEDULEPERFORMANCE / OPENING

March 19, 2017 at 7:30PMG. Lucas Crane will perform live sound inside the space.

INSTALLATION / ONVIEWMarch 20, 2017 at 1–5PM.

G. Lucas Crane is a sound artist and performer from Brooklyn, NY. Major projects include the psych-rock band Woods, the cassette-collage project Nonhorse, and the experimental theater of Performance Thanatology.